Main Navigation

You are here:

Home > Latest News > Bronson Receives Top National Honor for Environmental Leadership

Share

Bronson Receives Top National Honor for Environmental Leadership

Published on April 12, 2011

Kalamazoo, Mich. — Bronson Methodist Hospital has been awarded Practice Greenhealth’s Environmental Leadership Circle for 2011. This is the highest environmental achievement award presented by Practice Greenhealth, a national membership organization for healthcare facilities committed to environmentally responsible operations. 2011 marks Bronson’s ninth year as a recipient, longer than any other hospital in southwest Michigan.

The Environmental Leadership Circle recognizes healthcare facilities that exemplify environmental excellence and are setting the highest standards for environmental practices in health care. To be considered, facilities must meet the criteria for eliminating mercury, recycle at least 25 percent of their total waste stream, have implemented numerous other innovative pollution prevention programs, and are leaders in their community.

Stewardship of resources is a core value at Bronson,” says Mike Way, vice president materials management & facilities services, “and we focus on this continuously. Bronson staff has been diligent about recommending ways to reduce, reuse and recycle the materials and energy we consume. In the same way that we focus on improving healthcare quality and safety for our patients, we make sustainable, green practices a priority. This achievement is a tribute to our staff and their commitment to environmental excellence.”

The Practice Greenhealth Environmental Excellence Awards in eight categories were presented in Phoenix, AZ, on April 6, 2011 in conjunction with CleanMed 2011, a global conference for environmental leaders in healthcare.

“All of our members are committed to improving healthcare’s environmental performance, but there is an illustrious group of facilities setting the highest standards,” said Practice Greenhealth Executive Director Anna Gilmore Hall. “They are the best of the best, the recipients of our top award. They have introduced extensive environmental strategies into healthcare and are committed to achieving further improvements.”

Practice Greenhealth is the nation’s leading membership and networking organization for institutions in the healthcare community that have made a commitment to sustainable, eco-friendly practices. Members include hospitals, healthcare systems, businesses and other stakeholders engaged in the greening of healthcare to improve the health of patients, staff and the environment. Practice Greenhealth is a source of environmental solutions for the health care sector.Practice Greenhealth’s goals

Prevent, reduce and otherwise generate less waste in the health care sector

Achieve carbon neutrality in healthcare

Reduce energy and water usage

Build, renovate and purchase responsibly

Demonstrate mission through respectful work environments

Engage community on environmental sustainability in design, construction and operations